How To Choose New Flooring Like A Pro!
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(Free Information by Consumer Advocate - No Carpet or Flooring Sales)
Everyone Wants Soft Carpet!
And it must be durable, pet friendly, resist stains and last a long time! If you're in the market for new carpeting but don't know where to start, the Carpet Professor provides free expert advice, unbiased product information, a list of trusted dealers and lots of helpful tools including printable shopping forms, charts, guides and checklists.
"With over 30 years of experience in the flooring industry and a commitment to consumer advocacy since 1998, my goal is to help homeowners choose wisely, avoid scams and have a successful, stress-free carpet buying experience." Alan Fletcher
In order to choose wisely, avoid problems and get the best deal possible, consumers need to know how the entire buying carpet process works from start to finish. Including:
Understanding carpet and padding specifications,
Choosing carpet that meets your needs and goals,
Avoiding retail carpet scams and rip-offs,
Obtaining accurate carpet measuring,
Having your carpet installed correctly,
Knowing carpet care and maintenance requirements.
Carpet Comparison
Getting several free in-home estimates (from reputable sources) is the easiest and best way to compare products, services, measurements and pricing. Your goal is to find the perfect carpet, order the right amount, have it installed correctly, and buy from a reputable dealer. You don't need or want any salesperson to pressure you into buying before you are ready. This is a major purchase so take your sweet time deciding.
Start by printing or downloading all my free Carpet Shopping Guides and Forms. They are designed to help you choose wisely, save time & money and narrow down your best final choices. Then, when you are ready to begin shopping, check out my free list of Recommended Carpet Stores Near You.
Homeowners often make simple but costly mistakes, like...
Choosing The Wrong Grade of Carpet... Carpet that does not meet their needs or goals.
Overpaying for Materials & Labor... Because they don't compare at least 3 bids or estimates.
Have Carpet Installed improperly... Because they don't buy from a reputable carpet dealer.
Accidentally Voiding Their New Carpet Warranty... Because they fail to maintain their new carpet as required.
There are plenty of ways to make costly mistakes when it comes to choosing new carpet and flooring. You shouldn't rely on any one salesperson to make your carpet and padding choices for you. If you do, and your new carpet does not perform as well as expected, you can't go back and blame the salesperson for giving you bad or wrong advice. Once you agree to buy it, you are stuck with it whether or not you are happy with its performance.
Some folks make the mistake of choosing new carpet based solely on cost, color, style or feel. You have to dig quite a bit deeper than that to make sure you choose the right carpet that will serve you best.
Everything you need to know is here in my website. Do your carpet and padding research before you begin shopping for new carpet. To get started, there are five main carpet specifications you need to consider very carefully.
Read on...
Carpet Fiber Options
Choosing the right grade of carpet is not as easy as it once was. Today there are dozens of different styles, grades and quality levels to choose from. Carpet durability is based mainly upon the raw materials they use in the manufacturing process. Why do some Carpets last longer than others?
Understanding carpet specifications is secret #1 to choosing new carpet like a pro! The type of fiber you choose is the most critical factor when choosing new carpet. Choosing the right fiber is the very First Decision you need to make. Which Carpet Fiber will be the perfect choice for your home? Here is some key information about carpet fibers.
Fiber Basics:
Nylon is the most durable synthetic fiber available today. The two most popular nylon fibers are Anso 6.0 and Antron 6.6. Nylon resists stains and cleans easily but is not as soft as Sorona or Polyester. Nylon is the most costly of all synthetic fibers and is only fiber that can be color dyed. $$$
Soft Nylon - The popular "soft" nylon carpet styles are created by extruding the fiber strand thinner to make it feel softer. A thinner strand is not as strong which makes the style a bit less durable than a standard nylon. Designed to be a less-costly option over wool. $$$$
Sorona / PTT (aka Triexta or Smartstrand by Mohawk) is best known for its softness and stain resistance. Originally invented in the 1940's it was made available in the marketplace in year 2000. Not as durable as nylon. $$$
Polyester and PET is a less costly option but tends to mat down quickly in medium to heavy traffic applications, especially along main walkways, busy thoroughfares like hallways and stairs. Polyester is very soft and stain resistant, but not as durable as Sorona. $$
Olefin (aka Polypropylene) is a very strong fiber and is commonly used for inexpensive looped Berber styles, outdoor grass and level-loop or cut-pile commercial grade carpets. It's also great for damp pool areas, basements and patios because it is moisture resistant. $$
Wool is the most costly of all fibers easily topping $100 per square yard. It is naturally soft and durable fiber. It is more costly to install and maintain too, but is well known for it's elegance and ability to last a lifetime. Learn more about the Pros and Cons of Wool Carpeting. $$$$$
How Much Does Carpet Cost?
If you haven't checked carpet prices lately, you'll be shocked when you see the current prices for good quality carpet and padding. Ten years ago, a medium-quality carpet, with pad and installation, used to run about $35 a square yard, today that same quality is over $50.
A medium-quality 100% Nylon Carpet for a typical 2-bedroom home (100 SY or 900 sf) now averages $5700 with pad and installation. You can expect it to last 7 to 12 years depending on your level of foot traffic. Nylon Carpet Cost vs. Longevity
How Much Foot-Traffic Do You Have?
To avoid choosing the wrong grade of carpet, start by taking my free Carpet Foot-Traffic Test. It is a simple 6-question test to help you determine your level of foot-traffic and choose the right grade or quality of carpet.
Families with kids and pets tend to have heavy foot-traffic in their home. That means choosing a grade of carpet that is very durable. To choose a carpet designed to tolerate your level of foot traffic, you first need to determine your level of foot traffic. Combine that with the number of years you expect your new carpet to last and you have a starting point for making wise choices.
1. What is the level of foot-traffic in your home? Low, Medium, Moderate, Heavy?
2. How long you want your new carpet to last? 5, 10, 15, 20 years or more?
Carpet cost, quality, durability and longevity are all inter-connected. Combine all that with your own unique level of foot-traffic and you can see how choosing the right grade of carpet can become a bit complicated.
Choosing the Right Grade of Carpet?
It's not like it was 50 years ago when choices were very limited and most carpets were made to last at least 20 years. Today there are thousands of different grades, styles and quality levels to choose from. The trick is knowing which grade will be the best choice for your home. Some carpets are designed to wear out in less than 5 years, some are designed to take a beating and last for 20 years or more. Use my free Carpet Durability Guide Chart to help narrow down your choices.
What are Carpet Remnants?
Most carpet comes in rolls that are 12 feet wide and up to 100 feet in length. A carpet remnant is an amount of carpet that is less than a full roll. When part of the roll has been sold it leaves a balance still available for purchase, this is either called a carpet Remnant, Roll Balance or a Roll End.
Few homeowners know that they can enjoy new carpet at a fraction of the typical cost for new carpet. The trick is knowing how to choose carpet remnants wisely. How To Choose Carpet Remnants Wisely
Padding Types and Prices
10 years ago, a decent 6-pound Rebond Pad was about $3.50 a yard. Now it's over $5. Most carpet makers now recommend using 8-pound density padding. This link shows the various types of carpet padding, current prices and which pad might be the best choice for your home. Carpet Padding Cost, Options and Upgrades Explained
You rarely see it, but carpet padding does a very important job. It is the shock-absorber for your carpet. It helps reduce the damaging effects of abrasion. It's real easy to select the wrong grade, type, thickness or density of pad. Most people trust the salesperson to select the right pad. This can spell disaster if you are ill-advised.
The carpet you select has minimum padding specifications required by the carpet manufacturer, including type, thickness and density. Choose the wrong pad and you can instantly void your new carpet warranty. You don't want your padding to wear out before your carpet does. It would be wise to invest in a good quality pad that can easily outlive the lifespan of your carpet. Learn more about Choosing the Right Pad.
Unnecessary Padding Upgrades?
With most residential carpet styles, a standard Rebond pad will usually be more than sufficient. Don't be easily swayed by a salesperson who says you need to spend more for an upgraded pad or Specialized Carpet Pad unless the carpet manufacturer requires it.
Carpet Installation - Fees and Charges
Carpet Installation - This is one area where you should never skimp! Not long ago, it was common to pay $4 to $5 per square yard for qualified carpet installation. Installation alone for a typical 2-bedroom home used to be about $500. Today you can expect to pay closer to $800 or more depending on the layout of your home, where you live and the grade and style of carpet you select. Carpet Installation Cost and Extra Fees 2023
Finding a qualified carpet installer is getting harder to do because there is a shortage of experienced flooring installers nationwide. I suggest buying carpet from a reputable locally-owned flooring store who have their own "in-house" installation crews. You simply pay the dealer for the carpet, pad and installation. It's easy and much safer than hiring an independent installer. How to Find a Qualified Carpet Installer?
Avoid Pushy Salespeople
Unscrupulous carpet retailers often hire salespeople who will say or do just about anything to convince you to buy from them right now! Many of these salespeople know very little about carpet or the products they sell. They are hired because they are good at closing the sale. That means they don't take NO for an answer and keep pressuring you until you agree to buy today.
This is yet another reason why I've compiled my own Special List of locally-owned carpet and flooring stores to recommend to my readers. They have helpful, knowledgeable salespeople, do accurate measuring and provide qualified installers to get the job done right the first time. Don't let obnoxious strong-arm salespeople push you around!
Not quite sure if the salesperson's measurements are accurate? It's always wise to get at least three bids/estimates from honest local carpet stores. Then you can compare prices and measurements side by side and make wise and informed choices.
Want to learn some basic carpet measuring techniques? How to Measure for Carpet Yourself!
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Print or Download My Free
Carpet Durability Guide Chart
Not Sure Which Carpet to Select? Use this handy guide to help determine the level of durability for any carpet you are considering. Scoring is based on carpet manufacturing specifications including Fiber Type, Pile Height, Pile Density, Face Weight and Tuft Twist Rating. Use this guide to help narrow down your final selections.
(Click on the image to view, download or print)
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Carpet at Home Depot or Lowe's?
Q. Should I Buy Carpet from Home Depot, Costco, Empire or Lowe's? Please don't fall for those TV commercials offering new carpet at ridiculously low prices! The free carpet installation lure is a common television advertisement by both Lowe's and Home Depot. How much does Free Carpet Installation really cost?
There are many reasons why I don't recommend buying new carpet from a home improvement warehouse. If you want a good deal on new carpet or flooring, I suggest shopping at a Reputable Locally-Owned Carpet Store near you.
Stainmaster® Brand Update
The Stainmaster brand name was recently purchased by Lowe's Home Improvement. They don't own the fiber, they just bought the Stainmaster brand name. However the Nylon 6,6 fiber, manufactured by Antron®, is also available at most local carpet stores from various sources.
The Stainmaster brand name became well-known due to a $60 million marketing campaign launched in the late 1980's. The excitement was created from the nylon 6,6 fiber's durability and exceptional stain resistance.
You don't have to shop at Lowe's to get Stainmaster quality carpeting, ask your Locally-owned Carpet Store about Carpet styles they offer made with the Antron® Nylon 6,6 Fiber. It's the exact same fiber with the same quality and anti-stain benefits, but it just won't have the Stainmaster® brand name attached to it. Buy Local!
Learn more:
Where to Find The Best Carpet Specifications
